Modern production line car lacquerings mostly consist of a base lacquer/clear lacquer top coat which is applied to an electrophoretically primed car body which has been provided with a filler layer. The base lacquer and clear lacquer are preferably applied wet-on-wet, i.e. the clear lacquer is applied to the base lacquer after an evaporation time, optionally with heating, and the two are stoved together after the clear lacquer has been applied. EP-A-0 238 037 discloses a process which can be used to reduce the stoved layers in which a filler and a water-based metallic base lacquer are applied by the wet-on-wet process. The examples section reveals that the filler layer is applied with a dry film thickness of 35 .mu.m which is conventional for filler lacquers.
EP-A-0 265 363 discloses providing a previously stoved cataphoretically applied primer with a two-layered base lacquer/clear lacquer top coat using a wet-on-wet process. There is no filler layer. However, there is a problem in that damage due to flying stones on vehicles lacquered by this process is particularly conspicuous since the primer layer is revealed when the impact of a stone dislodges the top coat. Although corrosion protection is still guaranteed, the visual impression cannot be tolerated.
For reasons of rationalisation and in order to save materials, there is a desire to reduce the thickness of the layers in vehicle lacquerings when building up the lacquer, but without producing any substantial losses in overall characteristics.